128 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



tion of the human mind is ancient, univer- 

 sal, and very deep in human nature. It is 

 held that man has as much right to be 

 measured by his aspirations as by any other 

 of his psychical traits, and that he has 

 reaches of intuition and inspirations of in- 

 sight that will not be hemmed in by his 

 transient experiences of time and space. 

 They say he has a bodily organism by which 

 he is confined to a very narrow area upon 

 the little planet which he inhabits, but that, 

 nevertheless, in virtue of his higher capaci- 

 ties, he makes himself at home in a universe 

 of which he can nowhere find the limit, 

 and they hold that this fact gives high as- 

 surance that there may be still vaster possi- 

 bilities and extensions in the ever-unfolding 

 future. 



The author of the little book before us 

 belongs to this class which refuse to be 

 shut in by the material limitations of the 

 surrounding world. While admitting that 

 science is phenomenally circumscribed, they 

 hold that the unknown may not be exhausted 

 by its methods. The book is a quiet but 

 earnest presentation of the considerations 

 which, in the mind of the writer, are suffi- 

 cient to justify a steadfast faith in man's 

 immortal future. It is impossible here to 

 give any synopsis of the course of Dr. 

 Nichols's reasoning ; but those who are in- 

 terested in its line of thought will find that 

 its arguments are ingenious and instructive, 

 and by many they will undoubtedly be re- 

 garded as cogent and valid. But they are 

 not put forward in any dogmatic spirit. 

 They aim simply to be suggestive and help- 

 ful, and from this point of view there arc 

 multitudes who will find them satisfactory. 



Bulletin of the Archaeological Insti- 

 tute of America. I. January, 1883. 

 E. H. Greenleaf, Secretary. Boston: A. 

 Williams & Co. Pp. 40. 



The work of the Institute was carried on 

 at the ancient Greek city of Assos, in Asia 

 Minor, during the spring, summer, and au- 

 tumn of 1882, with fruitful and interesting 

 results. The explorations, not yet com- 

 pleted, will be continued during the present 

 year, till the expiration of the permission 

 which has been accorded by the Turkish 

 Government. It is probable, the report 

 states, that, when all is done, " the remains 



at Assos will not only present the most per- 

 fect idea of a Greek city that is anywhere 

 to be obtained, but will afford a better in- 

 sight into the life of an antique city than 

 is to be gained even from the streets aud 

 houses of Pompeii." Mr. Ad. F. Bandelier 

 presents an interesting summary of his work 

 in New Mexico, chiefly among the ruined 

 pueblos, and outlines the plan of a journey 

 of archaeological exploration which he is 

 now making through the comparatively un- 

 explored regions of the Mexican border. 



On the Loess and Associated Deposits 

 of Des Moines. By W. J. McGee, of 

 Farley, Iowa, and R. Ellsworth Call, 

 of Des Moines, Iowa. New Haven, Con- 

 necticut : Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor, 

 Printers. Pp. 24. 



We have here a careful study in local 

 geology and physical geography, from which 

 interesting conclusions are drawn respecting 

 the contour of the glacial terminal moraine 

 and the conditions under which the drift- 

 deposits were accumulated in the region of 

 Des Moines. The peculiar fact is brought 

 out that the rivers in this region have avoid- 

 ed low-lying plains and sought elevated pla- 

 teaus and ridges of both sedimentary rocks 

 and quaternary deposits, and that their gen- 

 eral course is at right angles to the mean 

 slope of the surface which they drain. 



"Papilio." A Monthly Journal, devoted 

 solely to Lepidoptera. Henry Edwards, 

 Editor, 185 East 116th Street, New York. 

 Price, $2 a year. 



The publication of this journal has now 

 been continued for over two years, the first 

 number having appeared in January, 1881. 

 During this time it has contained articles 

 upon the insects within its scope, by the 

 most distinguished entomologists in Europe 

 and the United States. The two volumes 

 that have been completed contain, together, 

 about 430 pages of matter and six colored 

 lithographs, besides several woodcuts of in- 

 terest. As occurs in the early career of 

 most natural history publications, this mag- 

 azine has entailed upon its projectors a 

 heavy loss. But they are still full of hope, 

 and urgently ask of all who recognize the 

 importance of such a publication, that such 

 help as can be afforded may be freely given, 

 in order that so excellent a labor mav not 



